In a typical camera module that is intended for the mobile communications market, image data is sent by the camera module to a graphics processor or a host central processing unit (CPU) over a camera bus interface. This camera interface typically consists of data signals, synchronization control signals, and a clock signal. Image data is sent by the camera typically on 8, 10, 12, or 16 data lines and this data is interpreted by two synchronization control signals that define the start of the frame of the image data and the start of a line of the image data. A data clock is used to define when the data lines are valid, i.e., a pixel of image data. Therefore, at a minimum, there are eleven signals, eight data and three control signals, that are needed on the camera interface to define the camera image data to the graphics processor or host CPU. If data is sent in parallel, then a total of eleven signal lines may be needed to transmit the data and control signals. When chip real estate is limited or when signal lines need to be routed through a hinge, such as in a cellular phone with a rotating camera platform, reducing the amount of signals needed to communicate to each device in a system is very desirable.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide an apparatus and a method for communicating data and control signals enabling a more robust mechanical design in systems where the signals must be routed through mechanical devices, such as hinges.